title: Crocins, the active constituents of Crocus Sativus L., counteracted ketamine-induced behavioural deficits in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experimental evidence indicates that the non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine impairs cognition and can mimic certain aspects of positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia in rodents. Crocins are among the active components of the plant Crocus sativus L. and were found to be effective in different models of psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was designed to investigate the ability of crocins to counteract schizophrenia-like behavioural deficits produced by ketamine in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Crocin's ability to counteract hypermotility, stereotypies and ataxia induced by ketamine was evaluated in a motor activity cage. The ability of crocins to reverse ketamine-induced memory deficits was assessed using the novel object recognition task (NORT). The social interaction test was used in order to examine the effects of crocins on ketamine-induced social withdrawal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Crocins (50 but not 30 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated ketamine (25 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced hypermotility, stereotypies and ataxia. In a subsequent study, post-training administration of crocins (15 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) reversed ketamine (3 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced performance deficits in the NORT. Finally, crocins (50 but not 30 mg/kg, i.p.) counteracted the ketamine (8 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced social isolation in the social interaction test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that crocins attenuated schizophrenia-like behavioural deficits induced by the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Mezourlo, 411-10, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Georgiadou
authors.forename: Vasilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grivas
authors.forename: Petros A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tarantilis
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pitsikas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001259:Ataxia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007649:Ketamine; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D012919:Social Behavior; D019956:Stereotypic Movement Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002338:Carotenoids; D007649:Ketamine; C029036:crocin